The present invention relates to dual purpose jackets and more specifically to outer jackets capable of being worn or folded and strapped to a person or the like for convenient storage during travel.
Dual purpose jackets have in the past been provided with a self-contained pocket or pouch into which the jacket may be inserted for storage. Illustrative of such garments are the jackets disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.:
1,197,236: Schnur PA1 2,058,474: Long PA1 2,072,030: Damron PA1 2,142,814: Fitch PA1 2,143,931: Aronson PA1 2,146,243: Aug PA1 2,292,347: Bailey PA1 2,324,722: Papierniak PA1 2,325,494: Fayer PA1 2,825,902: Breier PA1 3,085,254: Cutler PA1 4,055,853: Argento et al.
and German Pat. No. 2,208,503
One problem with these garments is that they require additional items such as zippers and pouches to contain the folded garment, items which add to the construction cost of the garment but serve no other useful purpose to the wearer of the coat. Another problem is that some of these garments have a tendency to wrinkle significantly as a consequence of the manner in which they must be folded for storage.
A still further problem with these garments is that they generally must be hand-carried, even when folded. This generally presents an unacceptable inconvenience to those jacket users, such as hikers or bicyclists, who cannot spare a free hand to carry the folded jacket.